Career Planner Choosing An Occupation Planning Series

Career
PLANNER
Choosing an Occupation
Planning Series
For more information visit us at:
www.alis.gov.ab.ca
Catalogue Item # 462101

This publication is available to order on-line at www.alis.gov.ab.ca/careershop. Additional copies can be
ordered from the Learning Resources Centre by telephone at (780) 427-5775 or by fax at (780) 422-9750.
Career Practitioners
This publication is part of the Planning Series
Career Planner, Education and Training Planner and
Adult Back to School Planner. These three easy-to-read
workbooks all contain information, exercises and
resources to help make career and training decisions.
This publication will help users:
see that career planning is an ongoing process
with a series of choices and decisions (ve-step
career planning process)
identify and discover their skills, interests,
values and traits relating to work roles
research the tasks, knowledge and attitudes
needed in work categories
For copyright information, contact:

Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry
People, Skills and Workplace Resources
Telephone (780) 422-1794 Fax (780) 422-5319
E-mail info@alis.gov.ab.ca
2002, 2007, Government of Alberta,
Employment, Immigration and Industry
This material may be used, reproduced, stored or transmitted
for non-commercial purposes. However, Crown copyright is to
be acknowledged. It is not to be used, reproduced, stored or
transmitted for commercial purposes without written permission
from the Government of Alberta, Employment, Immigration and
Industry. This publication is not for resale unless licensed with
Government of Alberta, Employment, Immigration and Industry.
Every reasonable eort has been made to identify the owners of
copyright material reproduced in this publication and to comply
with Canadian copyright law. The publisher would welcome any
information regarding errors or omissions.
develop action plans and problem-solving

strategies in step with their preferred future
connect with further information and resources.
You may also want to check out CAREERinsite at
www.alis.gov.ab.ca/careerinsite. This interactive
feature does much of your work for you! It guides
users through the ve-step career planning process.
Each step includes and introduction, questions to
think about, activities, ALIS links and further reading.
The activities are in PDF and will allow users to
complete them online or print a blank copy and
complete the form manually. Note: responses cannot
be saved online.
Government of Alberta, Employment, Immigration and Industry

publications may contain or reference publications, trademark,
patent or copyright held by third parties (third party material),
identied with a credit to the source. This does not grant the user
a licence or right to that third party material. Users who wish to
reproduce any third party material in this publication should seek
permission from that third party.
This information was accurate, to the best of our knowledge,
at the time of printing. Labour market information and
educational programs are subject to change, and you are
encouraged to conrm with additional sources of information
when making career, education and employment decisions.
The Province of Alberta is working in partnership with the
Government of Canada to provide employment support programs
and services. These benets and measures are funded, in whole
or in part, by the Government of Canada from the Employment
Insurance Account.
ISBN 978-0-7785-5390-8
01/2002 40M
10/2002 50M
11/2003 40M
06/2005 50M
07/2007 50M
Cover printed on 25% post-consumer recycled paper.

Inside text printed on 30% post-consumer recycled paper.
All photos in this booklet are for illustrative purposes only.

They are not actual photos of any individuals mentioned.
Joes story
I think it was turning 30 that did it for me. All of a
sudden, I was really questioning myself. I woke up the
morning of my birthday and realized that I had been
working for the same company for 12 years. Sure, the
people in the shipping and receiving department
were really great. And they paid me okay. But, what
happened to my big plans to work with computers?
Did I want to spend the next 12 years doing the same
thing and never pursue my dream?
My answer was a big no.
At rst, the idea of changing my career direction was
pretty scary. I didnt even know how to get started.
So, I talked to a good friend about it. He told me
about some workshops by Alberta Employment,
Immigration and Industry (AEII). I went to one and
learned about career planning. They also talked about
career options. Its amazing whats actually out there!
After doing some research and talking to people,

I realized that I needed more training to get certied
as a computer network administrator. I found a
program where I could get the training in only one
year. My family was very supportive. We worked out
our nances and talked about how everything was
going to work while I was in school.
I enrolled in the program and graduated near the top
of my class. It wasnt all easy. But, Im now working at
a company with a bunch of other techies. What I like
most now is theres always something new to learn.
In this area, you can go in all sorts of directions.
I also learned about myself. I rediscovered my dream

of working with computers. I used computers a little
at work, but the place I spent a lot of time on them
was at home. I had gotten quite good at learning
new software and solving problems. I loved using
the Internet and playing games. I even helped my
friends and family with their computers. Id always
enjoyed all of that but it had been a long time since
Id thought about it as a possible career.
Table of Contents
Related Topics: Where you can go for more information ...................................................................................................................2
Planning for Career Change ......................................................................................................................................................3

What youll nd here ..................................................................................................................................................................4
How to use this planner............................................................................................................................................................4
Five Steps to a New Career Path .............................................................................................................................................5

What is a career?..........................................................................................................................................................................5
What is an occupation?.............................................................................................................................................................5
What is a job? ...............................................................................................................................................................................5
Joes story ......................................................................................................................................................................................9
Felees story ................................................................................................................................................................................ 11
Step One: What am I Doing Right Now? ........................................................................................................................ 15

Dream a little! ............................................................................................................................................................................ 18
Step Two: What do I Need to Know? ................................................................................................................................. 21

What kinds of things am I good at?................................................................................................................................... 22
Skills, Interests, Values and Traits ................................................................................................................................ 23
What types of occupations are out there for me? ........................................................................................................ 33
People, Things, Ideas, Data or Information groups ................................................................................................ 33
Occupational categories ............................................................................................................................................... 34
Need some help? Talk to somebody ................................................................................................................................. 46
Step Three: What are my Best Choices? ......................................................................................................................... 47

How do I nd out more about the occupations that interest me? ........................................................................ 49
What information do I need? ............................................................................................................................................... 49
Am I still interested? ............................................................................................................................................................... 61
Which occupation will I go for?........................................................................................................................................... 62
Step Four: What do I Need to Do Now? .......................................................................................................................... 63

Do I meet the requirements of my chosen occupation? ........................................................................................... 64
Where do I stand now? .......................................................................................................................................................... 67
Step Five: What Actions will I Take? .................................................................................................................................. 68

How do I set up an action plan? ........................................................................................................................................ 68
Stick with your plan: Dealing with problems ................................................................................................................. 71
Plan ahead .................................................................................................................................................................................. 72
Remember the ve steps ...................................................................................................................................................... 73
Resources .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 74
Related Topics: Where you can go for more information

The Planning Series consists of three booksCareer Planner, Education and Training Planner and Adult Back to
School Planner. These easy-to-read books all contain information, exercises and resources to help you make
career and training decisions.
The Table of Contents lists the topics covered in this planner. Are you interested in getting information on other
topics related to planning your career, going back to school or education and training? Then, get a copy of the
publications listed in the chart below or visit the websites. For ordering information, see Resources at the end of
this book.
Topic
Resources
Career choices
Career Planner: Choosing an occupation

www.alis.gov.ab.ca/occinfo
www.alis.gov.ab.ca/careerinsite
Workplace research
Finding Out: How to get the information you need

to make the choices you want
Education and training choices
Education and Training Planner

Time to Choose... a post-secondary education program
www.alis.gov.ab.ca/edinfo
Going back to school
Adult Back to School Planner

Budgeting for school

Money 101: Budgeting basics for further education
www.alis.gov.ab.ca/studentsnance
- Street Cents - Saving for School (on-line video)
- Study Your Options booklets
www.alis.gov.ab.ca/scholarships
Job search
Job Seekers Handbook: An introductory guide

to nding work
Planning for Career Change

Some experts say that we can expect to change our occupations at least ve times in our lifetime. This means
that more likely than not, you too will nd yourself making changes in the way you work and live. But if you have
a plan, you may nd change easier to deal with. A plan helps you see how far youve come and where you still
need to go. A plan helps you set goals and track them.
Is this book right for you? Take a look at these statements. How many of them do you agree with?
If you agree with one or more, youll want to read through this planner.
This book is for you if...

you would like to learn more about how to plan a career
you havent done a lot or any career planning
you are not sure what occupations are out there
you would like to nd an occupation to pursue
you are eager to nd out more about the world of work.
What youll nd here
How to use this planner
This planner is intended to help guide you in a career

direction and help you choose an occupation. Here,
you will nd easy to follow, step-by-step directions
on how to make decisions about your life and your
work. You will look at choices and learn more about
the occupations that are available in todays world
of work. You will do research and collect information.
You will talk to people. You will learn many of the
things that are necessary for moving in a new
career direction.
This planner should be used as a workbook. You will

be doing exercises and writing down information
about yourself. Each exercise is intended to get you
a step closer to making a decision about your career.
We have listed resources that you can use if you
feel stuck or want to talk to someone. We have also
shown examples of how other people have worked
to change direction in their lives.
Maybe you havent done much career planning.

Or you dont even know what it is. Dont worry.
Well give you lots of help. If the information isnt in
this book, well tell you where you can get it. By the
time you nish this planner, you will have learned a
lot about yourself. And with some hard work, eort,
and enthusiasm, youll have a good idea of what
occupation you want to go after.
By the time you reach the end of this book, we

hope that you will have made a decision about your
career. Dont worry about making the right or
wrong decision. Your choice may be right for now.
But, things may change. New career opportunities
present themselves. Life in general changes. People
make choices all the time and respond to what is
going on around them. The point is to be exible
and have the tools to help you make decisions
throughout your life.
As you work through this planner, you may not want

to do the steps in exactly the same order as weve
shown. Thats okay. You can go back and do them
later. But you will probably nd it easier to do your
career planning if you cover all the steps.
If, at any point, you want to talk to someone, contact
a career counsellor. See the Resources section for
more information.
Career Planning: Be aware and alert

Many of us already make decisions that are in fact
career decisions. We choose where we live and
work. We decide what were going to do for fun.
We get to know certain people. Career planning
involves being more conscious and deliberate
about our decisions. It also means being alert to
opportunities and aware of choices.
Five Steps to a New Career Path

What is a career?
What is a job?
A career is the total of our work activitiesat home,

at work, at school and in our communities. A career
includes the time we spend at our paid jobs. It includes
taking care of a home and looking after children or
the elderly. It includes volunteering at the school,
coaching a team or helping out at the band oce.
A career also includes the time we spend learning
new things.
A job is the position a person holds doing specic

duties. For example, an occupation is food and
beverage server. The job is serving at the Moosehead
Restaurant. People usually change jobs more often
than they change occupations.
Even if you dont think you have a career, you do! And
you dont have to be in certain occupations to have a
career. Anyone who has spent time working
at anything has a career.
By the time you nish this planner, you will know

much more about occupations. In fact, you will
have made some decisions about what occupation
interests you the most.
What is an occupation?
An occupation is a group of similar jobs for which
people usually have to develop skills and knowledge.
An occupation is a specic category of work. A person
can have several dierent jobs within an occupation.
They can adapt their knowledge and skills to a variety
of positions. Examples of occupations include the
following: electrician, engineer and teacher.
EXERCISE
Think about your own career
What kinds of jobs have you worked in?
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In your lifetime, how many times have you changed your job?
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What kinds of occupations have you worked in?
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In your lifetime, how many times have you changed your occupation?
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Were going to show you how to use ve steps to

make decisions about your career. But, this will
not be the rst timeor the lastthat you will
be making decisions and choices. Once you have
learned how to use the ve step model, you can
follow these steps over and over again to make
other decisions in your life.
We make decisions constantly. Some decisions can

be quite small and take only a moment to make
like what kind of cereal to eat for breakfast. Other
decisions can be very important and take days,
weeks or even months to makelike where to live.
But, we go through similar steps for both. We stop
and think. We get more information. We look at the
options. We make a choice. We take action.
As you go through the ve steps, you will answer ve main questions. Later, youll also be answering a number
of other questions. But for now, these are the ve main things youll want to think about.
What am I doing
right now?
What do I need
to know?
What action
will I take?
What are my
best choices?
What do I need
to do?
What am I doing right now?
What do I need to know?
What are my best choices?
4
5
When something happens and changes

your life in some way, try to stop and think.
Step back a bit and look at your situation.
Find out about the options that are open to

you. Think about your needs, your wants and
your abilities.
Go over each possibility and think about it.

Choose the option that is best for you.
What do I need to do?

Plan how you will carry out your decision.
What action will I take?

Make up your mind, then do it.
How Joe used the

ve steps in career
planning to make
his decision.
10
Lets look at how Joe moved in a new

career direction. When he realized that
he wanted a change, what did he do?
How did he make his choice? Joe was
able to turn something confusing into
something exciting by asking himself
ve key questions.
In the beginning, Joe was afraid of changing his career direction. He wanted
something he found interesting and challenging but he didnt know how to get
started. Joe also felt like he was taking a big risk in leaving a job he had been in since
he left high school. Joe needed to feel comfortable about making a career change.
Joe talked to a good friend about his confusion. His friend told him about a career
planning workshop in his community. Joe took a close look at his skills, interests,
likes and dislikes. Then he considered his career options and learned how to make
a plan.
Joe knew there was more than one way to work with computers. He looked at
several options and gured out what would work best for him. Joe chose something
that he liked and that had good prospects for the future.
Joe needed to go back to school. He did his research and talked to people.
He discussed going back to school with his family and made a plan.
Joe enrolled in the program and nished near the top of his class.
He is now doing work he enjoys and that can also lead to other opportunities.
Now, lets look at Felees story. Can you see how she
uses the ve career planning steps?
Felees story
Before Felee came to Canada with her husband, she
worked as a stylist in a hair salon. She really enjoyed
working with her hands and meeting the new
people who came into the shop every day. She liked
to try new styles and learn about the latest cutting
techniques. Her customers were very happy with her
work and came back to see her regularly.
Felee has started to oer esthetics services in her own

home. As part of her plan, she checked the rules for
having a small business in her home and made sure
that she had all the right paperwork. Felee doesnt
make tons of money but she likes being her own
boss. Running her own business and having exible
hours also allows her to spend time with her family.
She is slowly purchasing equipment and already has
a small group of loyal customers. When her children
are older, she wants to expand her business and
maybe even open her own shop some day.
Felees husband had a reliable job here so she spent

several years at home with her children. When her
youngest daughter started school, Felee thought it
would be a good idea to go back to work. But, it had
been awhile since she had worked outside her home.
Felee wasnt sure if she still wanted to be a hairstylist.
Maybe there was some other way she could use her
skills. Felee had lots of friends in her community and
asked them for advice. One suggested that she go to
an Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry
(AEII) service centre and even oered to go along.
With help from a career counsellor, Felee learned
about the other kinds of work she could do. She
could still probably get a job as a hairstylist. But, with
her experience and skills, she could also move in a
slightly dierent direction. If she took some training,
she could become any number of thingsan
esthetician, a cosmetician or a makeup artist. Felee
had always wanted to learn how to do facials and
manicures so she decided to become an esthetician.
Felee also looked at some of the schools that oered
courses. She chose a private school and was nished
her program within a few months.
11
EXERCISE
Felees ve steps: Fill in the blanks
Lets look at Felees career planning. When she wanted to go back to work after her youngest child was in school,
what did Felee do? How did she make her choice? Fill in the steps for Felee.
When youre nished, go to the next page to see how you did. Dont worry about getting it exactly right.
The point is to see how the ve steps of decision-making work.
Step one: What am I doing right now?
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Step two: What do I need to know?
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Step three: What are my best choices?
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Step four: What do I need to do?
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Step ve: What action will I take?
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12
How Felee used the

ve steps in career
planning to make
her decision.
Lets look at how Felee moved in a new

career direction. When she decided
to go back to work outside her home,
what did she do? How did she make her
choice? Felee was able to build on her
previous experience and skills by asking
herself ve key questions.
At rst, Felee wasnt sure where to turn. She knew it was time to go back to work but
wasnt sure that she wanted to do what she did before.
Felee talked to someone in her community. Like Joe, a friend told her about the help
she could get at the local AEII service centre. Felee talked to a career counsellor and
learned what other options were available to someone with her skills, interests and
experience.
Felee knew there was more than one option for someone with her training and
experience. She looked at some occupational options and gured out what would
work best for her. She chose something that she had always wanted to do. She wasnt
worried about making a lot of money as long as she was happy and still had time for
her family.
Felee knew she had to go back to school. She thought about what program would be
best for her.
Felee enrolled in the program and was nished in a few months. She is now in an
occupation that she likes and gives her the freedom to look after other things in
her life.
13
Planning for Change

Once you have a plan, use it to help you stay on
track. Continue to focus on your goals and measure
your progress. But stay alert to new possibilities.
When youre busy planning for one thing,
something better may come along.
Think about your own experiences. How many times
has something good happened that you didnt
expect? Chances are you did somethingyou made
a choice, even a small onethat made it happen.
You were open to the possibility of a good thing.
Its the same with planning your career. As you
begin your career planning, keep your mind open to
unexpected opportunities. Consider taking a risk.
You never know what is around the corner!
14
As we look for answers, we can ask for information

and advice from many experienced people: career
counsellors, workers and employers, friends and
relatives, teachers and others.
Now You Try It!

Youve read about how Joe and Felee made decisions
about their careers. They each went through ve steps
to help them gure out where they were, where they
were going and what they needed to get there.
You can do the same thing! In the next chapters,
youll learn to use the ve steps of career planning
to help you choose an occupation. The ve steps are
really questions that you must answer in order to get
the information you need to make a decision. Theres
a little more on top of that. For each question or step
there are still other questions. Going through all of
these steps and answering all of the questionsbig
and smallwill help you successfully plan your career.
Step One:
What am I Doing Right Now?

In order to answer this question for step one, youll
also want to ask yourself some other questions.
What have I done before?
What do I like to do?

What dont I like to do?
What do I want to do?
On the following pages, youll nd exercises to help
you nd answers to these questions. Go through these
questions just like Joe and Felee did. Think about the
past, present and future. When youve answered these
questions, you will have taken a good look at your life.
15
EXERCISE
My storyWhat am I doing right now?
What has made me stop and look at my life?
(Think about what is happening now.)
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What have I done before?
(Think over your past. Write a short story about your life.)
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16
What do I like to do?

(Think of the things that you like to do best. What activities make you happy or satised?)
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What dont I like to do?
(Youll probably spend a lot of time working. Its a good idea to avoid something you really dont like.)
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What do I want to do?
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17
Dream a little!
Nearly everyone dreams about the perfect job.
Or they have ideas about what they want to do with
their lives. If you have ever had dreams about what
you want to do, you are not alone. Joe and Felee also
had dreams about what they wanted to do. When they
were clear about what they wanted in their careers,
they made plans to work toward their dreams.
For a number of years, Joe forgot his earlier dream
of working with computers for a living. But, with
some help, he was able to rediscover what career he
really wanted to pursue. He made a plan, took some
training and is now working in an area that he nds
interesting and that has a positive future.
Although she had worked as a hairstylist, Felee had
always liked the idea of doing facials and manicures.
She loved working with her hands and talking to the
customers who came into the shop in her homeland.
Now she is running her own esthetics business in her
home and is still able to spend time with her family.
Dreams help us nd out what we want to do.
What are your dreams? Have you ever thought you
would like to become a painter or a paramedic? What
about being an electrician or bookkeeper or teacher?
Maybe youve wanted to run heavy equipment, build
houses or make furniture for a living. What would you
like to be doing in the future?
Sit down in your favourite place. Make sure there are
no distractions. Get comfortable. Close your eyes and
relax. Begin to imagine and dream.
18
If you could have your dream job, anywhere in the

world, what would it be? Dont worry about money
or school or anything else. Just let your imagination
wander.
In your dream, what do you see around you? What
does it feel like? Are you working with people or
things? Are you working with many people or just
a few? Are you alone? Are you the boss? Are you
making a lot of money? Do you enjoy the work so
much that money doesnt matter?
When you nish your dreaming, write your dream
down. Do it now while you still remember. Take
as much time as you need. Dreams alone will not
change your life. But, turning your dreams into goals
and working towards them will.
Write down your dreams

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20
Step Two:
What do I Need to Know?
In step one, you discovered why you are doing

career planning. You answered the question, What
am I doing now? You also uncovered some of your
dreams. Now, you will move another step closer to
choosing an occupation that might suit you.
In this second step of career planning, you will nd
out about yourself and your abilities. And then you
will nd out about opportunities in the world of
work. In order to answer the question for step two,
youll want to ask yourself some other questions.
What kinds of things am I good at?
What types of occupations are out there for me?
It may seem like some expert will give you all

the answers about the occupation you belong in.
NOT true!
21
As we saw with Joe and Felee, there are dierent

ways to reach a new career choice. Joes interest
grew out of his earlier dream about working with
computers and the activities he did in his spare time.
Felees occupation grew out of the hairstyling she did
before she came to Canada.
Many Kinds of Smart

Research shows that there are many kinds of
smart. We all have our own talents and abilities.
For example, some of us can see the order in things.
We just seem to know where things belong. Others
can learn languages easily or are good with their
hands. Maybe you are a gifted musician or excel in
sports. Perhaps your friend is good at seeing the
structure in things and can easily build things.
Or you know people who are great at dealing with
others. They seem to read people really well.
As you work to choose an occupation, try to think
about what your own gifts are. Nurture them.
Celebrate them. When youre feeling unsure
of yourself, remember your gifts. Look for
occupations that use your gifts.
22
What kinds of things am I good at?

When you choose a career path, its important to
have a full and clear picture of yourself. You know
yourself best. Only you know what you really believe
in, what you can do, what you enjoy doing. You
understand yourself. You also know about your
work likes and dislikes.
You may have the problem that most of this
information is jumbled around in your head. It may
feel disorganized and disconnected. Dont worry.
Its the same for a lot of people. When you are at this
stage of planning your career path, you have two
challenges:
to get the information about yourself down
on paper
to organize the information in a useful way.
You will do this as you read on and work through
the next exercises.
Skills, Interests, Values and Traits
SKILLS
INTERESTS
You can make a career choice based on any of your

skills, interests, values and traits. These things are a
big part of who you are.
Skills are things that you have learned to do.
Examples include:
TRAITS
VALUES
driving
keyboarding
cooking.
Interests are things that you like.
Examples include:
sports
music
talking to people.
Values are things that are important to you.
Examples include:
being happy
helping others
being independent.
Traits are things that you are.
Examples include:
energetic
shy
easygoing.
Where do we get these interests, skills, values and
traits? Well, we get some in school. We get some from
our families. But, many, many more just develop as
we live our lives day to day.
The following activities will help you discover your
own skills, interests, values and traits. These are not
tests. There is no wrong answer. Nobody will mark
your work. You are the expert!
23
What are my skills?
SKILLS
Skills are things you have learned to do.

Examples include:
writing
welding
listening
sewing
ling
painting.
EXERCISE
My skills
Read each sentence. Does it describe you? Check the circle if it does.
I can speak more than one language ............................................................................................
I can cook ................................................................................................................................................
I can sew ..................................................................................................................................................
I can add numbers ...............................................................................................................................
I can follow plans or patterns ...........................................................................................................
I can follow directions when someone tells me what to do .................................................
I can use a tape measure ...................................................................................................................
I can give clear directions to someone .........................................................................................
I can get other people to do what I want them to do .............................................................
I can make good decisions................................................................................................................
I can start something on my own before the boss tells me what to do ...........................
I can lead a group .................................................................................................................................
I can make a budget ............................................................................................................................
I can remember details .......................................................................................................................
I can help other people with their problems .............................................................................
I can work as part of a team..............................................................................................................
I can stay calm in an emergency .....................................................................................................
I can do the same thing again and again and not get bored ...............................................
I can lift heavy objects ........................................................................................................................
I can sell things ......................................................................................................................................
I can organize people .........................................................................................................................
I can plan a party ..................................................................................................................................
I can entertain people ........................................................................................................................
I can clean ...............................................................................................................................................
24
Yes
Sometimes
No
Yes
Sometimes
No
I can grow plants ..................................................................................................................................

I can do tax forms .................................................................................................................................
I can build a fence ................................................................................................................................
I can build furniture .............................................................................................................................
I can style hair ........................................................................................................................................
I can x car engines .............................................................................................................................
I can x small appliances ...................................................................................................................
I can install computer software .......................................................................................................
I can care for small children ..............................................................................................................
I can keyboard .......................................................................................................................................
I can help people who are upset ....................................................................................................
I can use a computer ...........................................................................................................................
I can speak to a group of people ....................................................................................................
I can paint a picture .............................................................................................................................
I can play a sport ...................................................................................................................................
I can tell a story .....................................................................................................................................
I can make a room look nice .............................................................................................................
Other things I can do:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Now go back over the whole list. Pick out the ve things that you do best and write them down.
My main skills are:

1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
5. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
25
What are my
interests?
INTERESTS
Interests are the things you like. This is an

easy question to answer. You know what
music you like to listen to, what food you
like to eat and what games you like to play.
You may also know what you like about
work. Examples include:
hiking
gardening
golng
collecting
shing
reading.
EXERCISE
My interests
I like to be active ...................................................................................................................................
I like to listen to music ........................................................................................................................
I like to drive ...........................................................................................................................................
I like to x things...................................................................................................................................
I like to draw pictures ..........................................................................................................................
I like to work with plants ....................................................................................................................
I like to work with animals.................................................................................................................
I like to do things with my hands ...................................................................................................
I like to shop ...........................................................................................................................................
I like to do housework ........................................................................................................................
I like to go to the theatre ...................................................................................................................
I like to play sports ...............................................................................................................................
I like to garden .......................................................................................................................................
I like to walk ............................................................................................................................................
I like to watch nature programs on TV ..........................................................................................
I like to coach sports............................................................................................................................
I like to talk on the telephone ..........................................................................................................
I like to learn about the environment ...........................................................................................
I like to handle money ........................................................................................................................
I like to use small hand tools ............................................................................................................
I like to operate machines and equipment .................................................................................
26
Yes
Sometimes
No
Yes
Sometimes
No
I like to cook ...........................................................................................................................................

I like to sew .............................................................................................................................................
I like to style hair ...................................................................................................................................
I like to keyboard ..................................................................................................................................
I like to use the computer..................................................................................................................
I like to go on the Internet ................................................................................................................
I like to arrange owers ......................................................................................................................
I like to paint houses ...........................................................................................................................
I like photography ................................................................................................................................
I like to make things from dierent materials
(For example: crafts, sculpting, woodworking) .........................................................................
I like to act, sing or dance ..................................................................................................................
I like to play a musical instrument..................................................................................................
I like to make people laugh ..............................................................................................................
I like to teach adults.............................................................................................................................
I like to teach children ........................................................................................................................
I like to help people with their problems ....................................................................................
I like to serve people ...........................................................................................................................
I like to sell things .................................................................................................................................
I like to be the boss ..............................................................................................................................
I like bookkeeping................................................................................................................................
I like to work with numbers ..............................................................................................................
Other things that I like:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Now go back over the whole list. Pick out the ve things that you like best and write them down.
My main interests are:

1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
5. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
27
What are my values?

Things that are important to you are called
values. Joe valued helping other people
solve computer problems. Felee valued
making customers happy.
Values are very personal. They belong to
you and nobody else. You may have picked
some of them up from people close to you
but you alone know what is most impotant
to you.
VALUES
Examples include:
being part of the community
making the world a better place
having friends
being secure
being healthy
making money.
EXERCISE
My values
I think that...
Its important to have good health ................................................................................................
Its important to learn new things ..................................................................................................
Its important to grow personally ...................................................................................................
Its important to have time and energy for my life away from work..................................
Its important to meet new people ................................................................................................
Its important to have a lot of friends ............................................................................................
Its important to have a steady job ................................................................................................
Its important to have a boss who is fair.......................................................................................
Its important to have a boss who is easy to get along with.................................................
Its important to work in a comfortable place ...........................................................................
Its important to work in a safe place ............................................................................................
Its important to work with people I like ......................................................................................
Its important to know exactly what to do ..................................................................................
Its important to make the world a better place .......................................................................
Its important to do something that I feel is important ..........................................................
Its important to make a lot of money ..........................................................................................
Its important to see the results of my work ...............................................................................
Its important to have an important work title ..........................................................................
Its important to have good family relationships......................................................................
Its important to be responsible for other workers ..................................................................
28
Yes
Sometimes
No
Yes
Sometimes
No
Its important to protect the environment ..................................................................................

Its important to grow spiritually ....................................................................................................
Its important to do physical work..................................................................................................
Its important to have a chance for movement (related job and more pay) ...................
Its important to make the world more beautiful .....................................................................
Its important to nish a dicult task ...........................................................................................
Its important to do a job well ..........................................................................................................
Its important to make decisions together with other people .............................................
Its important to be my own boss ...................................................................................................
Its important to be creative: to come up with new things or new ideas ........................
Its important to set my own hours of work................................................................................
Its important to plan my work ........................................................................................................
Its important to control the order in which my work is done .............................................
Its important to use my brain..........................................................................................................
Its important to show my best abilities .......................................................................................
Its important to have a few close friends ....................................................................................
Its important to have interesting work ........................................................................................
Its important to have challenging work ......................................................................................
Its important to have exciting work..............................................................................................
Its important to have easy work.....................................................................................................
Other things that are important to me:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Now go back over the whole list. Pick out the ve things that are most important to you and write them down.
My main values are:

1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
5. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
29
What are my traits?

Traits are who you are and how you act.
They are a big part of your personality.
Examples include:
risk-taker
physical
cautious
outgoing
organized
self-condent.
By looking at Joe and Felees stories, we can

see some of their traits. Felee was creative.
She liked to try out new hairstyles on her
customers. She also liked working with
other people. One of her favourite things
about working as a hairstylist was talking
to her customers.
TRAITS
Joe doesnt mind taking risks. He went back to school in

order to change his career path. Joe likes a challenge and is
condent in his abilities to do well.
EXERCISE
My traits
I am organized .....................................................................................................................................
I nish tasks that I start .....................................................................................................................
I do many dierent things ...............................................................................................................
I do the same thing most of the time .........................................................................................
I need to see a nished job at the end of the day ..................................................................
When Im working on something, Im careful ..........................................................................
I put lots of energy into work .........................................................................................................
I work at a slow pace .........................................................................................................................
I am creative .........................................................................................................................................
I am outgoing ......................................................................................................................................
I am dierent from most other people .......................................................................................
I want to t in with other people ..................................................................................................
I need a lot of time by myself .........................................................................................................
I think a problem through before I make a decision .............................................................
I go by my feelings when I make a decision .............................................................................
When I make a decision, I stick to it .............................................................................................
I dont mind taking risks...................................................................................................................
I am ambitious .....................................................................................................................................
30
Yes
Sometimes
No
Yes
Sometimes
No
I am a leader .........................................................................................................................................
I do things the way they have always been done ..................................................................
I nd new ways to do things ..........................................................................................................
I like working by myself....................................................................................................................
I like working with other people...................................................................................................
I live to work. Work is the centre of my life ................................................................................
I work to live. Work is not the centre of my life ........................................................................
Other things that describe who I am and how I act:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Now go back over the whole list. Pick out the ve traits that best describe you and write them down.
My main traits are:

1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
5. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
31
Summary of your
skills, interests,
values and traits
SKILLS
INTERESTS
To create your summary, list the ve main

skills, interests, values and traits that you
chose. Make a copy of this summary for
easy reference as you complete the next
occupational categories exercises.
TRAITS
VALUES
EXERCISE
My main skills are:
1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
5. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
My main interests are:

1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
5. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
My main values are:

1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
5. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
My main traits are:

1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
5. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
32
S
NG
TH
I
LE
OP
AS
Did you know that there are hundreds of occupations

in the Canadian labour market that covers thousands
of dierent job titles?* Thats a lot of choices! But, you
dont have to nd out about all 45,000just the ones
that might be right for you. Most occupations can be
sorted into four groups:
PE
People, Things, Ideas, Data or

Information groups
IDE
If you have done all of the exercises up until now,

you have learned a lot of things about yourself. Now
you will learn about the world of work. What kinds of
occupations are out there?
TA
DA
What types of occupations

are out there for me?
people
things
ideas
data or information.
Using this approach is simple, but the four groups

are really too big to help us make an occupational
choice. Why? Well, because many occupations can
t into more than one group. As an example, think
about two dierent occupations where people work
with things:
a person who arranges owers
a person who drives a truck.
These occupations are quite dierent from one another.
They would appeal to dierent people. So, we need a
more precise way to group them.
* The National Occupational Classication (NOC) organizes the world of work
into 520 occupational groups classifying more than 45,000 job titles.
33
Occupational categories
TH
LE
OP
PE
AS
business
IDE
manual, practical
crafts, trades
scientic, technical
creative
social, helping
business
oce operations.
As you look at each of these seven categories,

you will probably see some that appeal to you
more than others.
crafts, trades
IN
TA
DA
manual, practical
GS
oce operations
In order to do this, the four groups are broken

into sub-groups, called occupational categories.
There are seven occupational categories:
social, helping
creative
scientic, technical
The following chart illustrates how dierent kinds of tasks relate to the four groups and how the four groups
relate to the seven occupational categories.
Tasks
Doing physical work
Groups
Things
Working with your hands

Working with machines
Working with ideas
Ideas
Working with details
34
Scientic, technical
Creative
People
Managing others
Working with data
Manual, practical
Crafts, trades
Expressing ourselves in work

Helping others
Occupational categories
Social, helping
Business
Data/Information
Oce operations
manual, practical
clerical work
computer data
entry
accounting
sports
shing
farming
labour
TA
DA
TH
IN
G
oce operations
crafts, trades
OP
PE
AS
business
IDE
LE
sewing
carpentry
house painting
creative
sales
travel
management
advertising
art
photography
stage manager
social, helping
mining
x-ray technology
drafting
surveying
child care
teaching
recreation
social services
health care
The diagram shows some sample occupations within

each category. This gives you a picture of the world
of work. You will notice that as we get more specic
about occupations, the circle gets bigger. There are
many occupations in each category. But, the people
who work in them tend to share similar skills, interests,
values and traits.
scientic, technical
Dont be surprised if you see some very dierent

occupations grouped together. For example, crafts
and trades workers usually deal with things. And
how many things are there in this world? Well,
everything from bricks to door locks to food. Thats
why there can be such a variety of occupations in
one group. Some will have absolutely nothing to
do with the others.
35
Fitting your summary to occupations

In the next several pages we are going to talk about
the seven occupational categories in more detail. You
will see that people who work in certain occupations
tend to share similar skills, interests, values and traits.
Youll also see that people work in all sorts of industries.
By comparing your own skills, interests, values and
traits to the occupational categories, you can get
closer to discovering what occupation may be most
suitable for you. The better the t between you and
your choice, the more likely you are to feel satised.
Now, lets look at how your summary ties in with
occupational choices. Compare your picture to the
picture of each of the seven occupational groups.
Which occupational group or groups do you t into?
36
Maybe youre not 100 per cent sure that the

occupational category youre choosing is the right
one for you. Still, its important to choose something
as a starting point. Youd be surprised what new
opportunities can come along once you get going.
You can always look at other categories later.
1. Manual or Practical category

Work that:
deals mostly with things
is physically active.
SKILLS
INTERESTS
TRAITS
VALUES
Here are some of the work settings (industries)

and occupations.
Construction Industry
Labourer, trades helper...
Agriculture and Forest Industries
Farmer, farm or ranch worker, logger...
Sports and Recreation Industries
Groundskeeper, athletic equipment custodian,
ice maker...
Hospitality Industry
Dishwasher, housekeeper...
Service Industry
Mail carrier, bus, truck or taxi driver, reghter,
dry cleaner, janitor, animal attendant...
Skills
Athletic, mechanical, strong
Interests
Action, physical work, sports, animals, plants, equipment
Values
Steady routine, being outdoors, being active,
freedom of space
Traits
Independent, work alone, down to earth
Do you t into the manual or practical category?
Yes
Maybe
No
Would you like to be a manual or practical worker?
Yes
Maybe
No
37
2. Crafts and Trades category

Work that:
deals mostly with things
depends on using your hands or operating
machinery.
SKILLS
INTERESTS
TRAITS
VALUES

and occupations.
Construction Industry
Any worker in the trades: painter, bricklayer, plumber,
electrician, cabinetmaker...
Manufacturing
Anyone on the line in a factory, shipping and
receiving clerk, welder...
Agriculture and Forest Industry
Nursery worker, taxidermist, landscape gardener...
Service Industry
Locksmith, parts technician, automotive service
technician, hairstylist, cook, tailor, repairperson
for small motors, refrigerators or photocopiers...
Skills
Working with hand tools, working with numbers,
working with machines
Interests
Things, xing, building
Values
Stability, creativity, a challenge, seeing results of work
Traits
Work alone, precise
Do you t into the crafts and trades category?
Yes
Maybe
No
Would you like to be a crafts and trades worker?
Yes
Maybe
No
38
3. Scientic and Technical category

Work that:
deals mostly with ideas and imagination
makes ideas useful.
SKILLS
INTERESTS
TRAITS
VALUES

and occupations.
Universities and Research Facilities
Research lab worker, scientist, technician in biology,
geology, forestry or astronomy...
Medical Centres
Medical lab technician, animal health technologist,
therapist, medical doctor, dentist, veterinarian...
Engineering Companies
Any type of engineer, technician, technologist,
surveyor, draftsperson, computer programmer,
systems analyst, software engineer...
Skills
Thinking, doing tests and experiments, working with
numbers, researching
Interests
Science, math, ideas
Values
Order, freedom to make decisions, freedom of time,
understanding things
Traits
Independent, creative, curious about how things work
Do you t into the scientic and technical category?
Yes
Maybe
No
Would you like to be a scientic and technical worker?
Yes
Maybe
No
39
4. Creative category
Work that:
deals mostly with ideas and imagination
uses ideas and imagination in new ways.
SKILLS
INTERESTS
TRAITS
VALUES

and occupations.
Entertainment Industry
Performing artists: dancer, musician, actor; their
assistants: costume designer, makeup artist, set
decorator, songwriter; lm editor; disk jockey;
cartoonist...
Galleries and Museums
Curator, painter, sculptor...
Advertising and Graphic Arts Industries
Illustrator, graphic designer, sign painter,
display designer...
Service Industry
Floral arranger, interior decorator...
Publishing Industry
Reporter, creative or technical writer, translator,
editor...
Skills
Finding new ways to do things, making things out
of dierent materials, using sense of hearing, sight,
touch, taste and smell
Interests
Decorating or designing, performing or acting,
books or stories, art or music
Values
Freedom of time, unstructured situations, trust own
mind, body and feelings
Traits
Work alone, imaginative, expressive, risk-taker,
independent
Do you t into the creative category?
Yes
Maybe
No
Would you like to be a creative worker?
Yes
Maybe
No
40
5. Social or Helping category

Work that:
deals mostly with people
helps people.
SKILLS
INTERESTS
TRAITS
VALUES

and occupations.
Education Industry
Teacher, teachers aide, probation ocer, counsellor,
child welfare worker, community worker...
Social Service Industry
Social worker, probation ocer, counsellor,
child welfare worker, community worker...
Recreation Industry
Recreation leader, tness consultant, coach...
Health Care Industry
Nurse, therapist, addictions counsellor, paramedic,
orderly, dental assistant...
Service Industry
Police ocer, ight attendant, day care worker,
hunting or shing guide...
Skills
Listening, communicating, helping, leading
Interests
People, teaching, helping, taking care of people
Values
Being helpful, doing something worthwhile, variety,
being co-operative
Traits
Trust personal feelings, understand other people,
responsible, compassionate, creative
Do you t into the social or helping category?
Yes
Maybe
No
Would you like to be a social or helping worker?
Yes
Maybe
No
41
6. Business category
Work that:
deals mostly with people
involves managing or organizing people.
SKILLS
INTERESTS
TRAITS
VALUES

and occupations.
Wholesale and Retail Companies
Salesperson, buyer or dealer, public relations person,
supervisor, manager, owner or operator...
Promotion Industry
Advertising salesperson, product demonstrator,
fundraiser...
Service Industry
Restaurant manager, real estate agent, travel agent,
nancial planner, insurance salesperson...
Skills
Leading, persuading, motivating, communicating
Interests
People, managing, selling, discussing
Values
Independence, money, power, decision-making,
contact with people
Traits
Decisive, wheeler-dealer, self-condent, risk-taker
Do you t into the business category?
Yes
Maybe
No
Would you like to be a business worker?
Yes
Maybe
No
42
7. Oce Operations category

Work that:
deals mostly with detailed information and ways
to organize it
uses oce equipment.
SKILLS
INTERESTS
TRAITS
VALUES

and occupations.
Business Oces
Accounting clerk, computer operator, dispatcher...
Government Oces
Records clerk, administrative support, desktop
publishing specialist...
Financial Industry
Loans ocer, accountant, insurance claims adjuster,
tax return preparer...
Skills
Keeping records, thinking logically, noticing details,
working with numbers
Interests
Numbers, words, oce equipment, computers
Values
Security, order, neatness
Traits
Precise, stable, organized, nish tasks
Do you t into the oce operations category?
Yes
Maybe
No
Would you like to be an oce operations worker?
Yes
Maybe
No
43
EXERCISE
My occupational category or categories
Now you have carefully studied the descriptions of each of the seven occupational categories. And you have
compared your summary with each category.
Which category, or categories, of occupations would you t into the best?
1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
Related occupations
As you start looking into occupations, think about
the kind of industry you might want to work in. Keep
in mind that there can be many dierent occupations
within one industry.
For example, in the health care industry, there are
licensed practical nurses, chiropractors and dentists.
Most of us are familiar with these occupations. But,
there are also many other health-related occupations,
such as athletic therapist, chiropractic assistant,
pharmacy assistant, food and nutrition manager,

medical secretary and hearing aid practitioner. All of
these health care related occupations have their own
education and training requirements. The workers do
dierent tasks.
When you are looking at one occupation, you
may discover that another occupation in the same
industry suits you better. Keep an open mind and you
may be pleasantly surprised by the possibilities!
Agricultural
Commodity Inspector
Agricultural
Equipment Technician
Beekeeper
AGRICULTURE
INDUSTRY
Animal Care
Attendant
Soil Scientist
Market Gardener
44
Farm Worker
These are just some of the related occupations

and industries where people work. For
information on others, visit the ALIS website at
www.alis.gov.ab.ca/occinfo. See Resources
at the end of the book for more information.
Computer and
Network Operator
Customer Support
Analyst
Webmaster
COMPUTER
INDUSTRY
Automated Systems
Technologist
Computer Service
Technician
Electronic Technician
Chemical Engineering
Technologist
Biochemist
Park Warden
Municipal Recycling
Truck Driver
ENVIRONMENT
INDUSTRY
Environmental
Auditor
Forest Technician
Public Health Inspector

Hazardous Waste
Management Technologist
45
What if...
My summary of skills, interests, values and traits dont
match up exactly with an occupational category?
Just pick the category, or categories, that seem
to match up most closely.
I match with more than one occupational category?
That just means that you have more occupations
to choose from. Or you could nd an occupation
in one category and a hobby or volunteer work in
another. You should also know that many types
of occupations t into more than one category.
I dont want to work in this category?
Even if your summary seems to t a certain
occupational category, nobody is saying that you
HAVE TO work in this category. Make a choice
based on your own values, needs and feelings.
I really dont understand this at all?
Go back to the career counsellor or whoever gave
you this book and ask for help.
46
Need some help?

Talk to somebody
Youve been working through this book for a while
now. Youve done a lot of thinking. Youve asked
yourself some important questions and learned
about yourself and some occupational choices.
Youve come a long way already.
Now may be a good time to talk to somebody. If you
need help and live in Alberta, call the Alberta Career
Information Hotline (see the Resources section). They
can answer your questions or direct you to the nearest
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry (AEII)
service centre. If you got this book from a career
counsellor, you can make an appointment to talk
with that counsellor. Discuss your progress. Look at
the occupational category or categories that you
have chosen.
After you talk to your counsellor, you will be ready
to continue with the next steps in career planning.
Step Three:
What are my Best Choices?

So far, you read about Joe and Felee and how they
reached points in their lives where they wanted and
needed to change. They did two things at rst.
They stopped and looked at their lives.

They found out about some career options.
Then, Joe and Felee had to decide which career
options suited them the best. You have done the
same things as Joe and Felee.
In step one, What am I Doing Right Now?, you
discovered why you are career planning. You learned
to stop and look. In step two, What do I Need to Know?,
you learned about your skills, interests, values
and traits. You also learned about the many types
of occupations and selected some occupational
categories to explore further.
Now in step three, What are my Best Choices?, you will
move another step closer to choosing an occupation.
In this step of career planning, you will think and
decide. You will nd out whether the occupations
you are considering will t your needs. You will take a
look at the many choices in your occupational group.
You will do some more research and talk to people
who work in the areas that interest you. Finally, with
some time and eort, you will choose an occupation
that you would like to pursue.
47
Well be asking you to research, complete some

exercises and talk to people. Dont worry about
doing it all in one day. As you get answers to some
questions, youll nd that you have more new
questions. Making decisions like this takes time.
The point is to get the information you need to
decide on the career path that works for you.
In order to answer the question for step three, What

are my Best Choices?, youll want to ask yourself some
other questions:
How do I nd out more about the occupations
that interest me?
What information do I need?
Am I still interested?
Which occupation will I go for?
A Word about Research

To make a good decision, you need lots of
information. The process of getting more
information is called research. Research is really just
a matter of asking questions and getting answers.
Why is it so important to ask questions and do
research? Think for a minute about what an
automotive service technician does (For one, they
used to be called mechanics!). Do they just spend
time working on the engine? Or is there more
to it than that? Today, most automotive service
technicians must know how to use computers
and other electronic equipment. Some of that
equipment is used to test vehicles. Other electronic
equipment is part of the vehicles themselves. Just
think of some of the new vehicles youve seen or
heard about. Some are even hooked up to satellites!
Automotive service technicians today have a lot
more to deal with than they did in the past.
This is just one example. But, as you can see, an
occupation may have more to it than meets the eye.
By doing research, youll nd out all you need to
know about an occupation to help you decide.
48
How do I nd out more about

the occupations that interest me?
Who do you talk to? You have to ask the right people
or you might not get the most useful answers. When
youre researching occupations, the best people to
talk to are:
workers in the occupation
career counsellors
representatives of educational institutions that
oer training in the occupation.
There are a number places you can go to get information
about occupations. These include:
1. Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry
(AEII) service centres
These centres are all over Alberta. Call the Alberta
Career Information Hotline to nd out which one is
closest to you.
At these service centres you can nd books,
pamphlets and videos to help you make a
decision about your career. You will also nd
detailed proles on over 500 occupations. The
proles include information on working conditions,
duties, skills needed, education requirements and
earnings. This material is also at many public
libraries, community agencies and schools.
2. Schools
These include public and private colleges, universities,
technical institutes and private vocational schools.
Many junior and senior high schools also have
information about occupational choices.
3. Community Agencies
Many organizations and agencies provide careerrelated information to specic groups of people,
such as:
youth
Aboriginal people
women
immigrants
people with disabilities
people over 45 years of age

people on social assistance
people on employment insurance.
4. Professional Associations and Unions
These organizations have information on specic
occupations, including education and training
and certication requirements. Professional
associations and unions can also tell you how many
people are working in a particular occupation.
5. Workers in the occupation
Its a good idea to talk to somebody who actually
works in the occupation you are interested in.
Some ways to do this include:
nding people you already know who work in
the occupation
asking your friends, family or neighbours if they
know someone
asking at a workplace that employs people in
the occupation.
6. Alberta Career Information Hotline
This is a free telephone service. You can call the
Hotline from anywhere in Alberta with your
questions. See the Resources section of this book
for more information.
7. Alberta Learning Information Service (ALIS)
website
You can also get all sorts of information on
occupations, career planning, educational
programs and job opportunities at the ALIS
website. Go to www.alis.gov.ab.ca.
What information do I need?

As you do your research, you need to get answers
to some important questions:
What are my occupational choices?
What does a worker in this occupation really do?
What else should I know about this occupation?
Will this occupation meet my needs?
49
EXERCISE
What are my occupational choices?
In step two, you saw some examples of occupations in each of the seven broad categories. But there are many,
many more types of occupations within each group. Ask a career counsellor about other possibilities. You can
also go on the Internet and visit the ALIS website. Go to www.alis.gov.ab.ca. Click on OCCINFO to nd over
500 occupational proles. As you read through these occupational possibilities, write down the ones that really
interest you. Try to come up with four or ve for the exercises on the next pages.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Look at your list of occupations (you should have four

or ve). The next step is to do some research. Maybe
you already know quite a bit about some of these
occupations. Maybe you only know a little about
others. You shouldnt choose one just because you
already know about it. And even if you know a lot
about an occupation, new technology may have
changed things. To make a good career decision,
youll want to nd out as much as you can by doing
some detailed research. You need to do the same
research for each occupation.
Ways to research
You can do three main kinds of research as you
look into possible occupations: paper, people
and participation.
Paper research involves going to sources of printed
information like career development libraries and
public libraries. You usually write a lot of things down
and read through a variety of resource materials.
Paper research is a good rst step in researching
specic occupations.
People research is a more personal way to research
occupations. It is an important part of career planning
and involves talking to people who actually work
in the occupations you are interested in. Talking to
people is a good way to conrm information you have
already collected. You can also get answers to questions
that may not be available in printed material.
50
Participation research takes your research one step

further. It involves participating in the occupation
you are interested in. Volunteering is a great way to
test out an occupation or at least the occupational
category. You can also look into the possibility of job
shadowing as a way to learn more about a particular
occupation.
The following can help you with your research:
Alberta Employment, Immigration and
Employment (AEII) service centres
Schools (including colleges, technical institutes
and universities)
Community agencies
Career materials
Career counsellors
Professional associations and unions
Alberta Career Information Hotline.
The Value of Volunteering

Volunteer work can help you move closer to your
career goals. Maybe you coach basketball at the
youth centre. Or you help look after children in your
community. No, you dont get paid. But, you can
learn some important skills that may be useful in
getting work in the future. Many employers have
a space for volunteer activities on their application
forms. They consider volunteering to be an important
part of a career. For people who have been out of
the labour force for a while, volunteering can be a
bridge to new work opportunities. Some people have
even turned their volunteer jobs into paying jobs.
Volunteering can also be a way to explore dierent
occupations. You cant volunteer to be an actual
veterinarian. But you can explore occupations in the
agriculture industry by volunteering at a zoo. Or you
could explore health care occupations by giving
your time at a hospital.
51
Job Shadowing
Job shadowing is another way to research an
occupation. When you job shadow someone, you
observe him or her at work. By spending some time
on the job you get a better understanding of what
the work involves. You can set up job shadowing
with workers in the occupations that still interest
you after you have done all your research.
For more information on job shadowing, call the
Alberta Career Information Hotline or talk to a
career counsellor.
It will take some time to do this research properly.

The purpose here is to nd the best occupation, not
the rst one that suits you. You have hundreds of
possibilities to choose from. Give yourself time to
think about what you are learning.
52
The following exercise has a worksheet to help

you with your research. Make several copies of the
worksheet so that you will have a separate one for
each occupation. Do one occupation at a time. You
will be doing this research on all the occupations
from your list, so it doesnt matter which one you
start with.
How do you get information from Workers?

Always phone rst and ask if he or she has time
to talk to you.
Be polite.
Make it clear that you are not asking for a
jobyou just want information.
Ask for a short appointmentabout 15 minutes.
Ask about related occupations.
Thank the worker for his or her time.
Send thank-you note if you feel comfortable.
EXERCISE
What does a person in this occupation really do?
What is this occupation all about? This is a big question. The following questions will help you in your research.
You can get answers to these questions by doing paper and people research and by nding a way to participate
in the occupation. You will nd a lot of information at the places we talked about earlier.
Once you have the answers, youll have a better idea of what the occupations are all about. If you have some of
your own questions, add them to the list. Take as much time as you need. Detailed research is hard work. Dont
forget to take a break now and then!
Occupation being researched

___________________________________________ __________________________________________________
1.
What are the main tasks that a person in this occupation does?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
2.
What other tasks are involved?________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
3.
Are there jobs in this occupation right now? _____________________________________________________
4.
Are these jobs near where I live? ______________________________________________________________
5.
Will there be jobs in this occupation in the future? ________________________________________________
6.
Is the work usually full-time? Part-time? _________________________________________________________
7.
Is the work usually all year around? Seasonal? ____________________________________________________
8.
Are the hours of work usually regular? Shift work? ________________________________________________
9.
What is the workplace like? (Examples: lots of people, outdoors in summer, noisy oce)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
10. Does this work ask for physical strength? (Example: do you lift heavy things?)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
11. Do you need special education to do this job? If so, what kind of education?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
53
12. Do you need safety training to do this job? (Examples: rst aid, safety orientation)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Where can you get the training? _______________________________________________________________
What will it cost? (Examples: tuition, books, fees) _________________________________________________
How long will it take? ______________________________________________________________________
13. Does this work ask for any licence or certicate? If so, what? ________________________________________
14. What can a person learn on the job? ___________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
15. Are orientation sessions provided for new workers? _______________________________________________
16. Does the work ask for social skills? (Example: do you talk to customers?) ______________________________
17. What are the legal requirements? (Examples: do you have to be bonded? A certain age?) ________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
18. Do you need your own tools? If so, how much do they cost? ________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
19. Do you need special clothing? If so, who pays for it? _______________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
20. Do you need your own vehicle? (Examples: car, truck, bicycle) _______________________________________
21. Is there usually room for movement? Can a person move to a related job after they have some experience?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
22. What is the usual starting rate of pay? __________________________________________________________
23. What is the top rate of pay? __________________________________________________________________
54
24. What are the usual benets? (Examples: health care plan, free uniforms, parking) _______________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
25. What do people like about this occupation? _____________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
26. What do people not like about this occupation? __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
27. How do people get to be in this occupation? ____________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
28. May I contact the worker again if I have more questions about the occupation? ________________________
Add your own questions and get answers to them.

___________________________________________ __________________________________________________
___________________________________________ __________________________________________________
___________________________________________ __________________________________________________
___________________________________________ __________________________________________________
___________________________________________ __________________________________________________
___________________________________________ __________________________________________________
___________________________________________ __________________________________________________
___________________________________________ __________________________________________________
___________________________________________ __________________________________________________
___________________________________________ __________________________________________________
___________________________________________ __________________________________________________
___________________________________________ __________________________________________________
___________________________________________ __________________________________________________
55
EXERCISE
What else should I know about this occupation?
Even after you have done your paper research and talked to someone working in each occupation (people research),
you may still have some questions. Use this space to write down anything else you need to know.
Occupation ___________________________________________________________________________________
Questions
1. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
5. ___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
56
EXERCISE
What to do next: narrowing the choices
Before you can narrow down your occupation choices, you need to nish your research for the two questions
What does a worker in this occupation really do? and What else do I need to know?. This research should be
done for at least four or ve occupations.
To help narrow down your choices, answer this question for each occupation that you researched.
Now that I know what is involved in this occupation, am I still interested?
Yes
No
If you answer yes, write the name of that occupation in the short list below. Try to have at least three
occupations that you can look at more closely.
Short List of Occupations that I am Interested in
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
If you answer no , go back to your exercise, What are my occupational choices?, and add a short note about why
youre not interested. Draw a line through this occupation. It is o your list. Dont feel bad. Its good to know what
you dont want to do and why you dont want to do it.
57
Personal needs
All people have needs. For some people, doing
something worthwhile is more important than
making lots of money. For others, personal
enjoyment is their strongest need.
Needs often change as people grow. When your family
is young and depends on you for food, clothing and
shelter, you might need a job that pays well. You may
need work with lots of stability. After your kids have
left home, your needs might shift toward personal
enjoyment or opportunities to try something dierent.
Needs are often similar to values. But they include
other things as well, such as:
I need to be home with my kids after school.
I need to stay in my community near my family.
Each of us must balance our personal desires and our
responsibilities as well as we can. But we will still see
some needs as stronger than others.
When you are choosing an occupation, pay

attention to your needs. For example, your skills
and interests may t into the manual or practical
workers occupational group. But you have a strong
personal need to help people. Maybe you can put
your occupational group and your need together.
For example, you could drive a bus for people
with disabilities.
58
Sherry had wanted to change her career path so her

children would have a better future. She was tired
of working in low paying jobs that seemed to go
nowhere. But she hadnt nished high school.
She really wanted to try something new and start
on a fresh path. But there were so many occupations
out there. She didnt know where to start. A big
concern was that she was a single parent and her
kids were still so young. What kind of occupation
could she go for and still give her kids the attention
they needed? Sherry also needed an occupation
that would not need a lot of training. Sherry met
with a career counsellor. They spent a lot of time
talking about what Sherry needed in an occupation.
Once she decided her priorities, it helped narrow
down the choices. Sherry got a little bit closer to
making a decision.
EXERCISE
Your needs
What needs are most important to you right now? Write down your strongest needs.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
59
EXERCISE
Will this occupation meet my needs?
This list of questions is about personal needs. Write down the name of the occupation you are researching
and answer the questions about that occupation. Then look at your list of personal needs. You may have more
questions. Add your questions to the end and answer them.
Make several copies of this worksheet so you can write down the answers for each occupation you are researching.
Occupation being researched ___________________________________________________________________
1.
Will I make enough money doing this work? _____________________________________________________
2.
Will I be happy doing this work? _______________________________________________________________
3.
Will I be learning and growing if I do this work? __________________________________________________
4.
Do I feel that this work is worthwhile? __________________________________________________________
5.
Will this work aect my home life? _____________________________________________________________
6.
Will this work put stress on my family? How can we handle the stress? ________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
7.
Will this work aect my relationship with my friends or family? ______________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________
8.
Will I have to move in order to do this work? Am I able to move? _____________________________________
9.
Will I have time for my hobbies and other interests if I do this work? __________________________________
Add your questions here.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
60
Does this occupation match most of my personal needs?
Yes
Maybe
No
Do I want this occupation?
Yes
Maybe
No
Am I still interested?
You have nished the detailed research on each of
the occupations you have been studying. It is now
time to stop and summarize what you know so far.
You should still be considering more than
one occupation.
Make a list of all the good and not so good things

about each occupation you have been researching.
Along with the other information you have collected,
this summary will help you decide what occupation
may be a good choice for you.
EXERCISE
Summarizing what I know
Make several copies of this worksheet so you can write down the answers for each occupation you are still researching.
Occupation ___________________________________________________________________________________
Good
Not So Good
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
61
Which occupation will I go for?

You have researched some choices. Youve talked
to a career counsellor. Youve talked to people who
work in the occupations that interest you. Youve
been collecting information and getting answers
to important questions. You thought about what is
good and not so good about the occupations you
are still considering. Youve taken many steps toward
actually choosing an occupation. Now, youre ready
to make a decision.
Write down the name of your occupational choice here:
My Chosen Occupation
___________________________________________
62
Congratulations! Youve worked hard to get this far.

Youve been taking actions that will enable you to
move in a new career direction. Now its time to rm
up your decision and make a plan that will turn your
decision into reality.
Confused? Dont worry if you havent chosen an

occupation. Talk to your career counsellor.
Step Four:
What do I Need to Do Now?
You have stopped and looked at your life. You have

discovered many things about yourself and the world
of work. You have thought about your career choices
and made a decision.
(write down your choice from the last section)
____________________________________________
Now, its time to do some planning on how to reach
your goal. Then, you can begin to act on your plan.
Youve already taken lots of steps toward your

career goals. Now is the time to set the nal action
steps in motion.
In order to answer the question for step four, youll
also want to ask yourself some other questions:
Do I meet the requirements of my chosen occupation?
Where do I stand now?
63
Do I meet the requirements

of my chosen occupation?
Workers in most occupations need to meet four types
of requirements. These are:
educational requirements
training requirements
special requirements
specic job requirements.
Find out the requirements for your chosen occupation.

Then you will be ready to plan your next actions.
Does my chosen occupation require any special

training?
Yes
No
If yes, what is the special training called?
________________________________________
________________________________________
Where do I take it?
________________________________________
________________________________________
___________________________________________
1.
Educational Requirements
For most occupations, you need a minimum
level of education or schooling. Some require
a university, college or other post-secondary
education. For others, it may be Grade 12 or
Grade 10.
What education level does my chosen
occupation require?
________________________________________
________________________________________
2.
64
Training Requirements
For many occupations, you have to take special
training or courses even after you meet the
educational requirement. This is true even if
you go to university. Other examples include
the many trades that are available through
apprenticeship programs. In order to be qualied
to work, tradespeople must take a combination
of classroom and on-the-job training. Some
companies or businesses oer their own
training, such as training for salespeople.
Sherry did a lot of research into occupations. She

worked closely with her career counsellor. They
looked at occupational proles and learned about
occupational requirements. Finally, Sherry decided
to pursue a career in retail sales. She had always
had a knack for selling things, had an eye for
fashion and was good with people.
She knew she would have to nish high school
rst. And once she got working, she would have
to start at the beginning. But, Sherry talked to
some employers and learned that there are great
opportunities for people who are willing to work
hard and learn. Some of the companies oered
training programs. Sherry also found out that the
mall near her home usually had openings in retail.
The great advantage was that the mall had a daycare centre. That would help her do two important
things: pursue her occupation and look after her
familys needs.
3.
Special Requirements
Even if you have met the general education and
training requirements, some occupations may
require even more from you. Some occupations
require you to have your own tools. Others
require you to own and drive a car. Some
require a special talent or physical ability. Artists,
musicians and actors all require special talents.
Many occupations expect you to pass a physical
tness test and complete a safety training session.
Does the occupation that I chose require

anything special?
Yes
No
If yes, what does it require?
________________________________________
________________________________________
Assessing special occupational requirements

List the special requirements of your chosen occupation so you can plan how youre going to meet those
requirements. Use the following example as a guideline.
Occupation Special Requirement

(Examples: Car, talent,
physical ability)
I Have I Dont
Have
How I Can Get

or Develop
Date
completed
Done
65
4.
Specic Job Requirements

Employers in some occupations may need
workers who can meet specic job requirements.
Perhaps their employees must be willing to travel,
to work shifts, to be on call at times, to wear
uniforms or to use safety equipment.
You, too, may have specic work needs. You may,
for example, need work that leaves you free in
the evenings, work that you can get to by bus
or work that pays you well enough to provide
for your family. Look back at the exercises about
your needs.
Does the occupation I chose have specic job

requirements?
Yes
No
If yes, what are the requirements?
________________________________________
________________________________________
Assessing specic job requirements

List the specic job requirements of your occupation so you can plan how youre going to meet those
requirements. Use the following example as a guideline.
Occupation Special Requirement

(Examples: Shift work,
being on call)
66
Can I
Meet
I Cant
Meet
How I Can
Manage This
Found
solution
Done
Where do I stand now?

1.
Do I meet the educational requirements for

the occupation that I have chosen?
Yes
No
If No, see the book Education and Training
Planner. See Resources at the end of this book for
information on how to get a copy. If Yes, move to
the next question.
2.
Do I meet the training requirements for

my occupation?
Yes
No
If No, see the book Education and Training
Planner. See Resources at the end of this book for
information on how to get a copy. If Yes, move to
the next question.
3.
Can I meet the special requirements for

my occupation?
Yes
No
If No, see a career counsellor at your nearest AEII
service centre. If Yes, move to the next question.
4.
Can I meet the specic job requirements for

my occupation?
Yes
No
If No, see a career counsellor at your nearest
AEII service centre. If Yes, see a career counsellor
or read books like the Job Seekers Handbook
to help you get started on your job search. See
Resources at the end of this book for information
on how to get a copy.
67
Step Five:
What Actions will I Take?

In order to answer the question for step ve, youll
also want to ask yourself another question:
How do I set up an action plan?
How do I set up an action plan?

Youve been taking action for each step of your career
planning. Youve done research, youve discussed
your plans with a counsellor and youve talked to
people who work in a variety of occupations. Now,
its time to set up an action plan for the nal steps.
An action plan is a way of recording what you need
to do to reach your goal. It is also a way of keeping
yourself on track. Joe planned to make a big career
change. He made an action plan to go back to school
so he could work with computers.
68
Here is part of Joes action plan. This is just a

sampling of what he did. Joe took many other
actions as he moved toward a new career.
Joes Action
Date
Done
Make an appointment to see counsellor
February 17
Attend career planning workshop
March 2
Do self-assessment exercise
March 4
Contact colleges and schools to see what programs are available
March 16
Now its your turn! On the next page, we have

provided space for you to write down your own
action plan. Think of what things you must do to
reach your goal. Make a list. Here are some of the
things you should consider:
Do you need to meet with a career counsellor?
Do you have to get more information?
Do you need to nd out which schools oer the
training you want?
Do you have to discuss things with your family?
Do you have to leave your current job?
Do you need to look over your nances?
Write down every task that you must do, even if it
seems minor. Give yourself a deadline for each item
and check it o once its done. If you change your
plan, write down the changes.
69
EXERCISE
Action Plan
Action
Date
Done
___________________________________________________
_________________
_____________
_________________
_____________
_________________
_____________
_________________
_____________
_________________
_____________
_________________
_____________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
70
Stick with your plan:

Dealing with problems
What were some of your problems in the past?

What solutions helped you overcome each one?
Write them down here.
Youve done a lot of work to decide on an occupation.

However, when you least expect them, problems
might make it hard for you to reach your goal.
Past Problems
Possible problems include:
___________________________________________
your child gets sick

your car breaks down or the bus route changes
you have money problems.
___________________________________________
Ways to get around problems are called solutions.

For each problem, there is usually more than one
possible solution. Heres an example of two possible
solutions for one of the problems we just mentioned.
Can you think of a third solution for the problem?
Write it on the third line.
___________________________________________
Problem
You have an appointment to meet your counsellor
but your child gets sick.
___________________________________________
Solution
1. You can phone the counsellor and make another
appointment.
2. You ask a friend to babysit your child.
3. _________________________________________
_________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
Past Solutions
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
71
Plan ahead
Dont let problems keep you from reaching your
occupational goal. For each action in your plan, write
down any possible problems. Then, think about how
youre going to get around the problems. Write down
your possible solutions. For every problem that you
list, there should be at least one solution.
Try to be as specic as you can. The more precisely

you can describe the problem, the easier it will be
to nd a solution. By planning your solutions in
advance, youll nd it much easier to solve problems
if they do come up. This will help you to keep working
on your occupational goal.
My Action Plan
(If you need more space, make extra copies.)
Action
72
Potential Problems
Potential Solutions
Remember the ve steps

Youve just used the ve steps of decision-making
to help you look at some options and choose an
occupation. Once you nish your action plan and
really get going, you will be well on your way toward
creating a new career direction.
As you go through life, you will need to make many
other important decisions. Use the ve steps of
decision-making to help you look at your options
and make a decision.
Career Planning is Part of Lifelong Learning

We keep learning as long as we are alive. As children,
we learned how to walk and talk. We learned to tie
our shoes. As adults, we learned how to prepare
food or drive a car. We learned to do the work we
are now doing.
There are many reasons to learn. As we look at
pursuing a new occupation, we will have to learn
new skills. We may have to learn how to work
dierently. Its all part of lifelong learning.
Even if we arent actively planning our careers, we
are still learning. We are still making decisions and
having experiences that enrich and enhance who
we are.
What am I doing
right now?
What are my best

choices?
When something happens and

changes your life in some way, try to
stop and think. Step back a bit and
look at your situation.
Find out about the options that

are open to you. Think about your
needs, your wants and your abilities.
Go over each possibility and think

about it. Choose the option that is
best for you.
Plan how you will carry out your

decision.
Make up your mind, then do it.
73
Resources
If you live in Alberta, check out the resources listed
here for helpful information and services.
Alberta Career Information Hotline

Call the Hotline for answers to your questions about:
Alberta Employment, Immigration

and Industry (AEII)
AEII service centres

(AEII) has service centres all across Alberta. They
have information on occupations, career options,
educational programs and funding, and nding work.
Call the Alberta Career Information Hotline for the
oce nearest you.
Youth Connections
Youth Connections is a career and employment
service for people between the ages of 16 and 24.
There are oces in communities across Alberta.
Youth Connections is supported by AEII. To nd
the oce nearest you, contact the Alberta Career
Information Hotline. You can also check out the
Youth Connections website at
www.youthconnections.gov.ab.ca.
74
career planning
occupations
education options
ways to nd jobs or work
the workplace
information and referrals
links to services in your community.
Phone
1-800-661-3753 toll-free in Alberta
(780) 422-4266 in Edmonton
Access for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People
1-800-232-7215 toll-free in Alberta for message
relay service or
(780) 422-5283 for TDD service in Edmonton
Hours
Monday to Friday 8:15 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Website www.alis.gov.ab.ca/hotline
E-mail hotline@alis.gov.ab.ca
Websites
Books
If you know how to use the Internet, you can visit lots
of websites with information on career development
topics. If you cant use the Internet at home, you
can use the one at your local Alberta Employment,
Immigration and Industry (AEII) service centre. You
can also use the Internet at your public library or an
employment agency.
We talked about several books in this planner. Here

is a list of books and planners that you can order by
calling the Alberta Career Information Hotline (See
Alberta Career Information Hotline under Resources
for a complete list of phone numbers). You can also
order these books through the Internet or download
them free of charge. They are available on-line at
www.alis.gov.ab.ca/careershop.
Here are some helpful websites.

www.alis.gov.ab.ca
This address will get you to information about
careers, learning and employment.
www.alis.gov.ab.ca/occinfo
This address will get you to a site called OCCinfo where
you can get information on over 500 occupations.
You can also get connected to information about
who gives training for occupations.
www.alis.gov.ab.ca/edinfo
This address will get you to a site called EDinfo.
It has information on education and training
programs in Alberta.
www.alis.gov.ab.ca/studentsnance
This address will get you to information on nancing
your post-secondary education. Click on guides and
publications on the left to get to a series of booklets
called Study your options.
www.tradesecrets.org
This address will get you to information about
apprenticeship and industry training in Alberta.
If you live in Alberta, Nunavut or the Northwest

Territories, these books are free. Alberta Employment,
Immigration and Industry (AEII) publishes them all.
Adult Back to School Planner
This book helps you answer lots of questions about
going back to school as an adult. It discusses topics
such as child care and studying and suggests ways
to cope with typical concerns of adult students.
Change and Transitions: The path from A to B
This is a workbook for people who are experiencing
change. It combines information, exercises, practical
tips and strategies to help make the most of change.
This book will help the reader who already has a goal
in mind. It talks about the education and training
programs in Alberta and how to get more information.
It provides sample questions to ask counsellors and
discusses budgeting and nancial planning.
Finding Out: How to get the information you need
to make the choices you want
This book shows you how to do research and get
information that will help you make career decisions.
The Investigator
This booklet lists phone numbers for places you can
go to for information on career planning, education
and searching for work.
75
Time to Choose... a post-secondary education program

This book has lots of information on education programs
at Alberta colleges, technical institutes and universities.
Job Seekers Handbook: An introductory guide
to nding work
This introductory guide gives step-by-step information
on how to nd work opportunities. It is written for
people who do not have much work experience.
Money 101: Budgeting basics for further education
This book talks about nancing your education. It covers
setting personal goals, guring out how much your
education will cost, suggestions on how to pay for it,
student loans and budgeting.
Training for Work
This book oers creative alternatives to full-time
classroom learning. It looks at options such as
mentoring, volunteering, self-study, short-term
courses and on-the-job training that can improve
your employability skills.
Volunteering: How to build your career
by helping others
This book describes the many benets of
volunteering as a way to build your career.
Workability : What You Need to Get & Keep a Job
This workbook lists the skills and attitudes that a
person needs to nd and keep work. It has space to
write down which of these skills and attitudes you
have used in the past and which ones you may want
to learn. It also includes the steps to gain these skills
and attitudes.
76
Notes
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77
Feedback
Wed like to hear from you...
Career Planner: Choosing an Occupation
Date __________________________
Send your comments to the addresses or fax number provided at the bottom of this page:
What specic information in this publication did you nd useful? How did it help you?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
How could we improve this publication? What was not useful?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Do you have any suggestions for other information or other publications that would be of value to you?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Please Return this Form to
People, Skills and Workplace Resources
Mail: 12th Floor, South Tower, Capital Health Centre,
10030 107 Street, Edmonton, AB T5J 3E4
or
Fax:
(780) 422-5319
To view a complete list of our publications, visit www.alis.gov.ab.ca/careershop
Career Planner:
Choosing an Occupation
Five Steps to choosing an occupation thats right for you!
With so many choices, how do you pick an occupation that ts?
Explore where you are right now.
Determine what you like to do and whats out there for you.
Find out your best options.
Plan to make your dream a reality.
Then do it!
So get ready! Your rst step can start today!

Career Planner Choosing An Occupation Planning Series

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develop action plans and problem-solving

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Cover printed on 25% post-consumer recycled paper.

All photos in this booklet are for illustrative purposes only.

After doing some research and talking to people,

I also learned about myself. I rediscovered my dream

Government of Alberta, Employment, Immigration and Industry

Planning for Career Change ......................................................................................................................................................3

Five Steps to a New Career Path .............................................................................................................................................5

Step One: What am I Doing Right Now? ........................................................................................................................ 15

Step Two: What do I Need to Know? ................................................................................................................................. 21

Step Three: What are my Best Choices? ......................................................................................................................... 47

Step Four: What do I Need to Do Now? .......................................................................................................................... 63

Step Five: What Actions will I Take? .................................................................................................................................. 68

Government of Alberta, Employment, Immigration and Industry

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